Trinity Sunday Children’s Sermon

When I was a kid, I had all sorts of questions about all sorts of things. About animals, about the earth, about how things worked…everything. I think one of the best things about being a kid is having so many questions. It makes life interesting. Grown ups tend to ask less questions—and not because they have more answers!—and it makes life kind of boring and dull. When I was a kid there was a question at the top of my list, and it is such a good question that it is still at the top of my list. I don’t think I’ll every stop asking it. Here it is: What is God like? It’s a simple question, but not easy to answer. That is why I’ll never stop asking it.

Today is a very special day in the church. It might even be my favorite Sunday of the whole year. Know why? Because today the church celebrates the answer to my question, ‘What is God like?’ Today the church looks deep into the mystery of God and says, ‘Wow.’ The church uses a very special word to describe what God is like. The church says that God is triune, meaning, really, that he is one big excitement, a kind of explosion of excitement—more exciting than any birthday, more thrilling than any Christmas. God is the One we call Father, and God is the Father’s Son, Jesus, and God is their Spirit, the Holy Spirit. And the excitement of the three of them together is the One God we worship. Isn’t that amazing!?

Now you might be saying, ‘Peter, this doesn’t clarify anything. You just made things more complicated! You were supposed to tell me what God is like.’ Well, how about this. God is triune. God is one big explosion of excitement. Another way to say all this is to say that God is talkative. How many of you know someone who is talkative? Maybe you have a friend, or brother or sister, or mom or dad, somebody who loves to talk…talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Well God is the most talkative of them all! God loves to talk. In fact, he just is one big conversation. You see, the Father is always speaking. And what does he speak? Jesus! Jesus is the Word that comes out of the Father’s mouth! Now here’s the cool part. Everyone take a deep breath…and blow out like you’re trying to put out a candle. What you just blew out is your breath. Your breath is what makes you living and lively, and your breath is what enables you to speak. And guess what? God has his own breath that makes him lively and talkative! We call God’s breath the Holy Spirit, and he makes the Father’s Word, which is Jesus, to be the most thrilling, exciting, beautiful thing anyone has ever heard. So the Father speaks, Jesus is spoken, and he is spoken with the breath of the Holy Spirit. That’s what God is like.

One more thing about God being talkative. This is my favorite part. God’s speech, his talking, is directed at us, at you and me and everyone here. God talks to us! Not only that, because the Father speaks Jesus to us, we are invited to join in God’s conversation. Jesus comes alongside us and with his Spirit brings us into God’s excitement. God wants us to talk back! This is why we do so much talking in church, why we have a sermon every week, why we sing and pray and read the Bible. Its not because we like to hear ourselves talk, but because we worship a talkative, triune God!

The Byrds

There is something so magical about living in a place where the seasons actually happen. Texas tends to go from hot to less hot to hot again. So, while I could spend the rest of the day elucidating the ungodly and supremely awful things about living in New Jersey, I choose to spend this day, my first day of freedom from the seminary’s death-grip, enjoying the good stuff. (I know, I’m a little shocked, too, by this sudden surge of optimism).

The birds here are my signs of the changing seasons. During the late winter, when snow still flirts with us occasionally, I know that warmer weather is around the corner when I begin to see these guys:

I just adore the little red-breasts hopping around on the snow. But later in the spring, a new shade of red begins to pop up, and if you’re attentive enough, you get to see this:

But, I was out walking Bono this afternoon, and thanks to his keen eye and hound-y nose, we came across one of these guys:

But the highlight of waking up early here in NJ is hearing the sounds of this guy at work (snow not included):

Have a happy Thursday. Be sure to stop and smell the roses and see the birds.

O to the M G

Mr. Colbert,

You are my sunshine.  My only sunshine.

Love,

M.

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Grand Finale

Our second year of seminary is rapidly approaching its end. It kind of seems unbelievable that we have been doing this for so long. But, then I remember the worsening eyesight from years of straining into a computer screen, the untreated cavities from years without dental insurance, the carpal tunnel syndrome from all the typing, and the first gray hair that appeared two days ago from all the stress and aging… and the reality of it all sinks in.

I have had the most difficult time focusing on schoolwork recently. I have two more big papers due soon and a final exam on Monday, but I can’t help but allow the distractions to have their way with me. I commented on an New York Times article about Barack and Wright, researched possible destinations for a trip I’m going to take this summer, worked on a few new songs, and, most delightfully, watched this:

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